Transcend Force
by Shaitanah
Summary: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. Apart from the fact that he just hates such inspections for no reason, it turns out to be a nightmare. The rise of the Alliance, Vader’s hallucinations and premon
1. Off

**Title**: "Transcend Force"

**Author**: Shaitanah

**Rating**: PG-13

**Timeline**: A close prequel to ANH

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. Apart from the fact that he just hates such inspections for no reason, it turns out to be a nightmare. + The rise of the Alliance, Vader's hallucinations and premonitions, secrets from the past, and the Force being 'the ultimate bad guy'.

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _don't belong to me, they belong to George Lucas, i.e.: no profit here for me. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: Vader is probably the only person from _Star Wars_ here. Others are mine. However, there will be a surprise for the fans of Anakin & Obi-Wan; you just have to wait until the 3d chapter is up. Enjoy! & PLEEEEAAAASE, R&R!

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**TRANCSEND FORCE**

**Chapter 1**

**OFF**

Stars collapsed in a blur of speed outside the windows of the giant starship. It swiftly made its way through asteroid fields, heading towards an isolated orange planet on the Outer Rim. It was already visible on the screens. The starship dived out of the hyperspace, control steady, and a massive energy wave shattered its engines.

The eyes of Darth Vader, shielded by impenetrable black lenses, stayed indifferent.

Alone in his quarters, he was already aware of the fact that the ship had broken. Tens of military officers, clad in identical grey uniforms with Imperial chevrons of various ranks, dashed about, to and fro, creating chaos. In his mind, Vader compared them to inhabitants of a damaged ant-hill.

He hated it when he was being sent to remote regions to inspect their technological achievements. It was a job for minor ranks, not the Emperor's right hand! That tiny orange dot on the trace screen was one of the moons of the Luki System, Luki IV. Vader was supposed to watch over the construction of a powerful weapon the planetary specialists had been working on for the better part of the past 10 years. Again, the Dark Lord had to deal with boot-lickers, flattery false followers, arrogant councilors, the kind of scum he passed with a nod – if ever passed at all. The Emperor trusted Vader's judgement against technology; but he trusted his awesome appearance even more. The mere presence of him would speed the progress up immensely. Accustomed to such means of intimidation, Vader held no grudge against these things. He only saw better use of himself in view of the recently begun civil war.

Vader leaned against the back of his seat. All programs of his bizarre life-sustaining suit were running normally. Strange unease bothered him, nevertheless. In times like these his heart as if beat more forcefully if only attempting to prove it had existed yet. Several days to his birthday if he remembered correctly. There used to be times when he doubted he'd ever make it up to forty.

However, age didn't matter. People changed with age, their faces wrinkled, hair grew white, their backs hunched with the load of years left behind and knowledge acquired. All that was virtually meaningless to Darth Vader who had spent almost two decades locked up in his metallic armor.

For Vader his birthday was a chronicle of being a prisoner. Years went by, old scars healed and roughened, but nothing changed on the outside. Plunged into a cold vacuum of anger and heartache, the former Jedi Knight became callous and cruel. Sometimes he managed to convince himself that it pleased him to prove everyone he was so much more than them. But days like his birthday or missions like this one undermined his resolution.

Darth Vader sighed, exasperated, and directed his steps to the bridge. They had already been stranded in the outer space for three hours. He used the time given to meditate and calm his nerves, but he'd had fairly enough. Vader strode towards the two men chatting by the round house, his black train flowing around him. One was a low-ranking officer (Vader didn't even bother to remember his name or number), the other – the Dark Lord's recently assigned aide-de-camp, Val Kerrit. They befriended oddly at the beginning of the voyage. A useful thing, Vader stated, for it seemed that Kerrit had an individual mode for everyone. He had made friends almost with everyone on the starship during a very short period of time. The crew called him 'Everybody's Sweetheart' jokingly.

Vader paused close enough to hear their conversation.

"... a sequel to a heartbreaking space tragedy, 'The Starship Strikes Back'!" the officer chuckled. "I'm telling you, it has already happened before in _this_ square! It's like a magnet for difficult cases like ours! This tin's not gonna make it farther than to Luki. We'll have to take another ship to go back to the Core!"

"I find your lack of faith slightly inappropriate", Darth Vader remarked.

The man turned around at once, very pale, chills of fear coursing through his body. Kerrit looked more reserved. He acknowledged his chief with a stiff bow to which the Dark Lord gave a barely perceptible nod. Then the black mask turned to regard the frightened officer.

"Still, you are right about one thing: if I do not get off this ship as quickly as possible, it would be a tragedy".

"We've contacted the n-nearest outer space repair station", the man stuttered. "The circuits are on the move, but they will r-reach us only in a couple of d-days–".

"Ready my shuttle!" Vader cut him off. He would go to Luki alone if he must only to finish the mission sooner.

Kerrit hastened after his chief in silence, consumed by his thoughts. Vader's mechanical voice brought him back to reality: "I'm going on my own, adjutant. I appreciate your concern, though".

Once in the cockpit of his personal shuttle, Vader relaxed a little. He was finally no longer dependant on those fools. The shuttle glided gracefully through space, led by its pilot's experienced hand. Vader always preferred personal aircrafts to official huge vehicles. That way he was always in control of the situation.

Vader trembled, having sensed an unusual unrest within the Force. It had something to do with that little orange planet. He felt _drawn_ to it. 'This might be curious', he thought the way young Skywalker used to think when they were close to a riddle. Difficult, yet enjoyable to solve.

The shuttle linked up with a landing platform in front of a military building. After a safe docking, Darth Vader emerged from the exit hatch. The square was empty, no sign of a train eager to meet him. He Force-scanned the square only to make sure he was completely abandoned. It pleased him all the more. The train might have gotten tired of waiting, doubtful of that their guest would ever show up.

A two-meters-tall bipedal form clad entirely in black strode forward to the entrance of the base, robes trailing from it like a pair of coal-painted wings. Guards paid close attention to it. Vader had no need to introduce himself; they let him in eagerly, content he had let their fear go unnoticed. Fear always followed footsteps of the Dark Lord. It clung to him like a smoky cloud. Some said, he thrived on it. In truth, Vader took absolutely no pleasure in being a nightmare.

A courteous officer saw him off to the waiting hall. Vader was known to skip formalities in order to proceed straight to business.

"Senior Captain Zabel will be with you shortly", the man said and left the room.

It wasn't long enough before a young girl in a grey Imperial uniform came in and gave Vader a shallow bow. Her ash-brown hair was neatly sleeked and combed in a tight knot at the back of her head. A stocky red-and-white droid moved in after her.

"Lord Vader, it is a great pleasure to meet you", the girl began. "We were beginning to worry. I must apologize for not having sent an escort out. I trust that was a minor inconvenience. I hope the journey was pleasant".

"Very nice, thank you", said Vader. "However, I should like to end this undertaking as soon as possible. Though I assume, captain Zabel has a more important business".

Even though his face had been forever hidden by the black metal breath screen which reflected no changes in his expression, Lord Vader still somehow managed to look especially menacing at the moment. The girl quivered, her huge hazel eyes even wider. Obviously, they shared a moment of misunderstanding. Her cheeks flushed. She saluted and reported rapidly:

"Oh, I believed you have been informed... Senior Captain Sora Zabel at your service!"

'Chaos take this bloody moon!' Vader thought. The Force had fooled him! How had he not anticipated that?

Carefully, he regarded captain Zabel more closely. Apparently, she was very young, probably not even in her twenties yet. She reminded him of someone he used to know. Her features were vivid, beautiful, though not strikingly. Another hairdo would suit her better. Vader imagined that waterfall of hair framing her delicate face.

Captain Zabel kept waiting. Vader raised his head and gestured for her to go on.

She turned out to be a qualified guide. Totally familiar with the work in progress, she filled the inspector in on every lab, every new rocket, every wondrous mechanism being produced on the base.

The firing unit _Transcend Force 7. 1_ for which he had come caused Vader's admiration. It was an entirely new miracle of science. As a potent mechanic, the Dark Lord fully apprehended it, amazed at how this beauty had come to be without his attentive supervision. As a Sith, he saw it as threat: old ways of the Force were dying out progressively, replaced by contemporary technologies and rational solutions. In the days of the Old Republic both ways co-existed in peace, but now one thing was choking the other as a result of Vader's massive Jedi Purges campaign.

"The Emperor wishes to know why your job is running so slowly", Vader said.

"Well, if the Emperor hadn't ordered an invasion of the planet of Saroone the government of which used to be our financial sponsor, we would have possibly been halfway through the final tests already!" the girl stated irascibly. "Some things actually require money, you know!"

Starting to understand the harshness of her speech, she turned pale, but kept staring at Vader impassively. He could taste her fear. She barely suppressed quivering. Darth Vader stretched out his hand, purely out of interest. How would she react? Was she dignified enough to stand this proudly? His fingers contracted. The girl ran short of breath. But she still met his gaze boldly. She wondered what was there behind those intimidating black lenses.

"How old are you, girl?" Vader asked, feeling very mature all of a sudden. He released her so that she could answer.

"Nineteen", she replied courageously.

"Ten points for your bravery".

He turned to leave. He'd had enough of this tiny orange planet that was so Force-strong and so undefined, that lured him with promising riddles and cut his clairvoyance off abruptly.

Sora stormed into her quarters, furious but relieved. Shaking heavily, she disrupted the iconic perfection of her military hairdo. Her hair fell loose on her shoulders, every bit as wild and unruly as Vader had imagined.

"What does this cracked cyborg think of himself!" she muttered, fuming. "How did he dare do _that_ to me? To the descendant of an old aristocratic family! It's thanks to him and the likes of him that my father had had to retire to this god-forsaken planet, not having a penny to bless himself with!"

"Temper, hon", a voice came from behind her. She smiled wryly at the man dresses in white medical robes. He embraced her tenderly, and she buried her face in the folds of his garments. "So how was it?"

"He almost strangled me! By using those stupid Jedi tricks! This is so humiliating: being nearly killed by neither a man, nor a droid, but something in between!"

Jass chuckled softly. Sora pretended to be stung and pulled away from him. He grabbed her by the shoulders and planted a caressing kiss on her cheekbone.

"Take it easy. It's over, huh? Vader's gone for good, there won't be another inspection for a year at least. Look at the bright side: you survived meeting Darth Vader! It's a rare achievement nowadays. You might, like, get a promotion".

Jass! Exaggerating as always! Sora heartened up, regardless. Her boyfriend, after all was right next to always. Why was she making such a big deal out of it?

She shrugged: "I guess I was lucky to have stayed alive at all". She kissed him deeply.

"_Senior Captain Zabel, Commander In Chief is expecting you now"_, the dynamics thundered. Jass made a happy face. Sora shook her head, smiling uncomfortably: she had a very bad feeling about the upcoming appointment.

"My break's up, anyway", said Jass. "See you later. Good luck!"

Sora smoothed her hair in the elevator and stepped in Commander's reception room. A silvery protocol droid let her in. The door shut quietly behind her, impressing a feeling that she had been cut off from the entire Universe at that instant.

Thor Moriarti, the new Commander In Chief who had assumed the post after her father's death, was a lean humanoid, his papery white skin and his greenish hair the only contrast to a human. He never appealed to Sora, being very restraint and narrow-minded.

She saluted and waited for him to speak.

"Captain Zabel", Moriarti drew out in a creaking voice. "I am very satisfied with your job. Our guest was content. However, we are to count on you again: a very important person is awaiting your assistance right now just there". He motioned towards the private cabin. "His shuttle has been badly damaged. It is your duty to accommodate him and see him through our daily life until the repair is complete".

"My duty is my pleasure", Sora nodded curtly. Moriarti smiled unpleasantly: that was exactly what he wanted to hear.

She opened the door to meet her new 'client'. Blood froze in her veins: the sound of sharp, rhythmic breath announced who he was even before she raised her eyes to see – Darth Vader.


	2. Just A Simple Deja Vu

**Timeline**: A close prequel to ANH

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV… Vader has a déjà vu and learns trivia about the Luki base.

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _don't belong to me, they belong to George Lucas, i.e.: no profit here for me. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: Please, I need to know what you think. I beg you to review. 

**Chapter 2**

**JUST A SIMPLE DÉJÀ VU**

"How does he eat?" Jass wanted to know.

"IV, perhaps. Why should I care? I can't believe that he's back! He'll be staying for a couple of days, at least! Damn, I've been so rude and disrespectful… He won't let me get away with this. I'm doomed!"

Jass rolled a tiny buzzing droid on the table. "How does he sleep in that suit? Must be damn inconvenient!"

Sora froze in mid-motion. Her eyes flashed in a rare display of annoyance. She showed absolutely no interest in how the Dark Lord's suit functioned. She was in need of understanding, but clearly Jass preferred to get off with a jest.

"What am I going to do?" Sora groaned.

"Your job, hon. You do your job and pray he leaves soon".

Darth Vader's temporary quarters surprised him. The room was nothing of military style. Light grey walls reflected the sun's pale rays, playing over the high sidelong ceiling. There was a sofa and two arm-chairs. A plush carpet stretched farther into the other part of the room where a cozy bed was situated, reminding him strongly of various hotel-rooms he used to know. He also noticed a HoloNet apparatus and a holophone. Good. Vader tried to establish a communication with the starship. Negative. Then it struck him that his aide had a separate comlink attached to Vader's private channel.

Kerrit picked up almost instantly. All the communication aboard had been jammed. There was no shuttles available, so he was going to wait for an aid from a neighboring planet of Sahra-Mosca. It wouldn't take long, but Vader would still have to wait up. The situation only got worse when the Dark Lord requested a shuttle in the local service: they refused him, basing it on the deficit. Somehow Vader suspected it was eternal.

"Do what you will, adjutant", Vader rumbled, "but get me off this planet!"

He hung up and left the room. Music thudded somewhere below the floor level. It didn't penetrate into the room which was concealed by the soundproof isolation shield. Intrigued, Vader followed the sounds and ended up in a spacious ballroom decorated with gleaming flashlights. A crowd of people was dancing wildly. The music rattled from every corner. Vader cocked his head, interested.

An old man, also assigned to keep him up to date, showed up beside him. He was a tour guide. Vader asked him: "What is it?"

"Oh, I trust this is no trouble. Commander In Chief believes it to be a useful experiment. Our doctors and officers are hard-working people, I can assure you. This kind of leisure has proved to be efficient".

Vader spotted a familiar face in the crowd. It was captain Zabel, in the arms of a good-looking young man. Vader recognized them as a couple at once: he was holding her as his most priceless possession, a fragile flower. Informal clothes adorned her. A flashy bordo tank top underlined her full breasts, sumptuous skirts swirled around her in an odd rhythm. The Dark Lord kept listening to the old man, still talking about their united team and so on. 'What a strange place', he thought contemplatively. 'I'm not really myself here… I might have been here already what feels like ages ago'.

"Come again? What is the name of that man?"

He meant Sora's companion. He learnt from the old man that he was one of Luki's most perspective MD's. He was working on the _Transcend Force_ project along with worldwide-famous physicists, chemists, engineers. According to the old man, his name was Jass Apollo.

It was incredible how Sora reminded him of Padme. Bewildered, Darth Vader retired once again in his quarters to ponder over the fact in silence. He rarely remembered his wife. His dear angel's image was never to be tainted by his dark deeds in the name of the Empire. Padme died taking their child with her. In some way it was better for all of them. He tried to reanimate her smiling, laughing, dancing, perhaps, just looking at him tenderly, but he only managed to resurrect the last memory of her, her beautiful face stained with tears and touched by awe as she uttered in a choked voice: 'Anakin! You're breaking my heart!' That happened every time he thought of Padme, so he quit. She lived in him like a smoke of memory but he rarely summoned it to life.

Vader grit his teeth. A couple more days! He'd have to spend his birthday on this planet. Cursed it be!

His first morning on Luki IV was dull. Standing by the window, Vader observed the smoky orange sky wrinkled with thin stripes of clouds. He contacted Kerrit again, but no answer came. The Dark Lord decided to inspect to test sites. He expected to find everyone extremely busy. On a contrary – lab assistants, apparently, were having fun. Two medium-sized armored droids, automatically controlled, were racing swiftly from one corner to another. Their operators, armed with control devices, microphones and a pair of headphones, were cheering loudly. An isolated group of spectators applauded merrily.

"Go! Go! Go!" the voices chanted. Vader defined the obvious leader of the race. It turned out to be Dr Apollo, the one who attracted the Dark Lord's attention at the dance. His long hair was messy, his eyes sparkled wildly. His droid reached the finish line a full quarter of a minute faster. The young man grinned triumphantly and bowed theatrically to his fans.

"Thank you! Oh, thank you! Where would I be without you? I dedicate this victory to you, my faithful supporters!"

The gang laughed and wailed. The rivals shook hands, having obviously decided it was time to go back to work. Apollo hurried to the door and very nearly bumped into Darth Vader. He didn't have a heart-attack. It did him credit. Vader had always valued dignity.

"Lord Vader", Apollo spoke up; his voice came a bit shaky but he took over it quickly. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"Dispense with the pleasantries, shall we, doctor? Would you grant me another excursion? I have grown quite fond of the _Transcend Force_ project".

Unlike Zabel, Apollo wasn't blind to ambition. A request from such a one as the Dark Lord of the Sith was not to be taken lightly. Apollo took his guest to the lab immediately. Plenty of lab assistants kept working on schedule. The _Transcend Force 7.1_ was a bio-active nuclear rocket. Scientists didn't sleep for hours in order to provide the efficiency not only of its mechanical parts but also its organic materials and its actual similarity to a mind. Several substations charged it up; once started, the artificial brain had to be functional constantly.

"We still have work to do, though", explained Jass. "The _TF_ collaborates with other systems poorly. Not all planetary systems can afford the special installation to make it work, therefore the _TF_ cannot be used worldwide. Besides, we need to finish the connecting procedure to activate its 'thinking'". He smirked at that, doubtful.

"The Emperor is concerned with your progress", Vader remarked. "When will this weapon be fully operational?"

"Quite soon, my lord. Resources are tight, but we're doing the best we can".

Vader moved to another level. This conversation was Dr Apollo was reassuring. Vader respected his enthusiasm. Doubtless, the Emperor would appraise that. Vader only wished the men who had been working on his shuttle were equally enthusiastic.

He paced slowly beneath the orange sky. With the _TF_ rocket and their new secret space station, the Death Star, the Empire would be invincible. That bunch of pathetic fools that proclaimed a revolutionary movement against Palpatine's dictatorship was soon to be gone. Not a spark of the Old Republic would come to life again to leap into flames of memory.

Vader turned towards a platform where a small aircraft was taking off. Something flashed through his mind. Smoke fell in thick clouds from under its hull, compressors were buzzing. The controller lighted green flashlights. Air whistled in the aircraft's engines. With a harsh discordant note it took off, wind howling and raging around its slick frame. It shot off into the golden depth of the sky like a bullet.

Vader shook his helmeted head. He would have screwed up his eyes thoughtfully if he could. He could have sworn he had already seen it before. Not just the start, but this particular platform. Might have even been the same starship. 'Be mindful, Padawan', Obi-Wan's voice rang in his ears. 'Stretch out with your feelings'.

Distraught, Vader plunged his fist hard into the concrete shield of the wall. Incredible! After all those years he was still easily influenced by Kenobi's foolish teachings! He tried to cross that Jedi traitor out of his mind, but it all came back that instant – a molten pit, Obi-Wan's last words ('You were my brother!') and that he'd stolen his lightsaber! Engrossed in frustration, Darth Vader ravished his memory seeking an answer: what did it all mean?

"Just a simple déjà vu", he told himself. "I should calm down". He withdrew from the Force: the Dark Side wasn't used to calm down. _Just a déjà vu_.

Sandstorms blew hard over the dunes of Sahra-Mosca. The wind happened to be elsewhere, typhooning or hovering in stillness close the planetary surface.

A small aircraft landed in the middle of the sand-valley. The exit hatch opened gradually. Darkness glowed there at first; a sound of movement later on; and finally a young man strode down the ramp, looking around in amusement. Nothing was seen in the nearby save for the dunes that smelled of thirst and spice. The man turned his comlink on.

"This is B-2-4-7-C-9 speaking. I'm in. Repeat: this is…"

"Roger, agent", the reply came. "Enter security password".

The man uttered a difficult combination of numbers and letters. His mouth was parched while the system verified the code transmission. Frankly speaking, he was in no mood to wait. Finally he received the permission to enter the safeguarded zone. Something shimmered in front of him, revealing a forcefield. Its invisible doors disjoined to let him in. the manhole in the sand opened and then slammed shut as he descended into dark. He ended up in a narrow hall worked up with durasteel panels. It led him straight to a corridor with plenty of doors facing each other and into a crowded room. Various faces turned to greet him at once.

"Val Kerrit here to meet Commander Salusa", the man announced.

A slim Twi'lek girl in a white linen gown came out to meet him. A small smile touched her pinkish lips. He spread his arms to hug her, grinning like a little boy. Damn, he was so glad to see her!

"We'd rather talk in my quarters", she whispered. "No need for attention, right?"

Later he was sipping juice in a small private chamber. He added a few drops of Corellian whiskey when the Twi'lek wasn't looking. She paced around restlessly, hearing out his report.

"So where is he now exactly?" she asked in the end.

"On Luki IV. His shuttle went down like a toy replication. Don't worry, we're only a little under schedule".

"I've contacted Leia. Kyle is ready to go to Danuta. After he gets the plans, they're going to transport them on Leia's personal cruiser. Force, this is risky! Even if Kyle succeeds…"

Kerrit smiled reassuringly. "I trust our fellows. They're doing great, especially Katarn".

He observed her as a wonder, her turquoise skin glossy in the dim light. She looked like a Chinese doll next to him, so frail and beautiful. He walked up and stroke her cheek affably.

"O'bar… look, I…"

"I feel this is getting out of hand! I know I sound like a coward. There's no point to retreat now. But I'm just so scared – for Leia, for you, for everything we've dreamt of!"

"We still can accomplish it", Val said willing himself to believe his own words. "I'll be off to Luki soon. I ought to deliver Lord Vader an aircraft unless I want him to start suspecting me. Wait for me, okay? Soon the plans of that station will be in our grasp, after that noone will stop us! Trust me, the Republic will rise like a legendary phoenix!"

With every word he felt the power mounting – the power to do that for real, to crush the ultimate evil embodied in the Emperor and Darth Vader. Still, he admired the Dark Lord in some twisted way: that man was great indeed, he always finished what he started.

Kerrit had to visit Admiral Armin, Commander in Chief of this base. He prepared to leave. O'bar's choked voice held him up. The girl was shaking, trying to suppress brutal tears. Her face turned that intense blue that symbolized blushing with her kind.

"Val!.. I don't want to wake up alone". She was sobbing violently. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered that he loved her, and he always would, and that everything would be alright. At that moment he was actually sure it would be.


	3. Agree To Wait

**Title**: "Transcend Force"

**Author**: Shaitanah

**Rating**: PG-13

**Timeline**: Before ANH (Republic episodes – a month after AOTC)

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. + Vader learns that the planet has something to do with him & Obi-Wan & starts to suspect Kerrit; memories from Vader's past come alive.

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _belong to a genius, i.e. George Lucas. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: Please REVIEW!

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Chapter 3

**AGREE TO WAIT**

It was difficult for Darth Vader to maintain the kneeling posture, but he remained steadily on his knees before the holoprojector. One might have detected slight trembling in his black-clad form, had anyone seen him just then. Despite himself, Vader had always felt a little out of place in the presence of the Evil One who had turned him to the Dark Side of the Force.

The hooded figure was now reduced to a small blue transparent image. The Emperor spoke in a deep voice: "I sense a disturbance in the Force. It is somehow connected with the planet you are on".

"Indeed, my Master?" Vader asked in a poisonous voice, only thankful for that the vocoder transformed it into an expressionless sound signal.

"You are in danger, my friend. So are we all. The Rebellion is growing stronger. Those like Tarkin may underestimate the danger, but the Rebellion could be our undoing. I have foreseen it. We need you on our battle station".

"I am doing all that is in my power".

The Emperor interrupted him in a sudden haste: "An old name pops in my mind when it dwells on that moon. _Skywalker_. And another one: _Kenobi"_.

Vader tensed. The memory of the shuttle taking off, fuming and droning, flickered again.

"Is there anything you wish to tell me, Lord Vader?" Palpatine inquired.

The Dark Lord shook his head. His premonitions were all too blurry. He never ignored the Force, taught well both by Kenobi and Darth Sidious, but here was another matter, the matter of his own mind. Vader certainly hoped it was playing tricks at him for he would never want to dig into the painful past again.

The holoprojector switched off. Vader began pacing, quickening his steps gradually. A new threat was drawing nearer, still obscure but distantly powerful – and Vader got stuck on the base with no perspective of getting away. Kerrit was coming. He launched a ship and was probably in the outer space already, but Vader had gotten a vague impression it was quite dangerous to draw near the planet all in all. He also disliked the rising pressure of the Emperor. The Sith Master was concerned with the Rebellion progress. 'What does it have to do with me?' Vader thought irritably, gasping from a short sting of Anakin in him: impatient, unruly, prepared for an argument.

Someone knocked quietly for fear of disturbing the Dark Lord. Vader opened the door with a swing of his hand. Sora came in with an invitation for the demonstration of the rocket of the pre-_TF_ type.

The test site was full of representatives of numerous races. Everybody chattered casually, sounds floating above the ground like a sheer tablecloth. The rocket _TF-b 7.0_ was set in the middle of the field, ready to take off. Its slick silvery corpus made it look like an enormous bullet. It started in a whirlwind of white smoke and an outrage of applaud, golden sky darkened, losing its glitter bit by bit the way an old cover of paint crumbles in pieces in time. Roaring, stirring the masses of spectators on the tribunes, the rocket took off. They held their breath for a couple of agonizing seconds. The test site became utterly quiet, on the verge of insanity. Vader's mechanical ear-dynamics caught every small sound. Then suddenly it stopped. The spectators wailed and shouted.

It took more than two hours to examine all the advantages of the weapon. During that spectacular rotation Vader became aware of that his interests lay more with Sora than with the show. Her resemblance to Padme stunned him. Padme with her silken hair coiled in two lateral buns over the ears, her luminous eyes and her kind smile – why had _that_ had to happen to her? Rage boiled in him, extreme anger towards Darth Sidious who had manipulated him and locked him up in that gaol of a suit; Sora who was so young, so much like Padme, so in love with her boyfriend the way Amidala had been with Anakin; Jass Apollo so lucky in love and his career.

"The show does not seem to entertain you, my lord", Sora said in an undertone.

"On a contrary, captain. I find your engineering process quite intriguing".

Sora smiled coyly. Purely out of curiosity the Dark Lord Force-scanned her. Calm on the outside, she shivered, breathing shallow, failing to relax. Every once in a while she skewed her eyes upon the tribune where the scientists' lair was situated.

"I am looking forward to meeting the author of this masterpiece", said Vader. Sora turned in his direction. "Who is he, by the way?"

"It's a she". Sora blushed a little. "Dr Feyh designed the sketches about ten years ago. However, she is no longer on the staff. She resigned, and we lost her trace. Rumour has it, she lives on the outskirts of Narrhuma as a hermit".

"Feyh? Vere Feyh?"

Sora nodded, then tilted her head as if wondering if it rang any bell. Vader's mood was undetectable. Another piece of a puzzle. He could picture Dr Feyh's face very clearly – at least, its 22-years-ago version – whereas he didn't know under which circumstances they had met.

Captain Zabel's comlink chimed. She replied hastily to her interlocutor, then asked Vader if he was familiar with any man named Kerrit. "Major Coloe from Landing Monitoring declares that a man named Val Kerrit has just been taken in charge due to his connection to the Rebel Alliance".

Vader rose and left the test site, though not before he dispatched Sora to bail his aide out. The seeds of distrust had been planted. He'd have to keep an eye on Kerrit from now on.

* * *

The ship rocked hard. Lightning ripped through its hull, tearing into two pilots. Ignoring pain, the younger one gripped the control wheel firmly and tried to straighten the course. The outpouring of bolts from the control panel increased in intensity. Frozen on his seat, the older man pressed the evacuation button before his co-pilot could protest. The pair flew up and descended quickly to the ground, toppling and spinning, electric currents crackling over their weakened bodies. The youth had enough time to push his companion away from the falling fragments of the starship. The everything went pitch black. Overwhelming, mute darkness embraced him.

Anakin came to his senses, feeling wet stains on his face. The remnants of the wrecked shuttle were still burning. Mild rain was working on breaking it off. The sky above was orange, lined with stripe-like clouds, pale golden, tinted with grey, ready to produce wild storm. Anakin got up, feeling sharp pain in his limbs, and looked around. He was, apparently, in the middle of nowhere.

Skywalker rubbed his eyes to ease the stinging, but it only made it worse. He felt as if he was back home on Tatooine, a sandstorm approaching. He shuddered at the memory. After the recent events Tatooine wasn't exactly where he wanted to be.

His Master's limp body by the damaged fuselage called for his attention. Anakin rushed towards him, felt his pulse – very faint – and focused on his senses. 'Calm', he reasoned with himself, 'steady. You can do it'. In truth, he had never done that before. Force healing was a complicated process, known only to the greatest. Anakin put his hand on Obi-Wan's chest. Damn! His heart stopped! It took Anakin all his knowledge (not that he possessed much of that sort) and all his patience. His senses heightened, focused in one massive wave which plunged straight into the older Jedi's heart, animating it. It came alive, pumping blood with all the fierce strength of a newborn. The Jedi gasped for air and focused his hazy sight on Skywalker.

"Anakin! What is–?"

"You shouldn't speak now, Master. Tell you later, okay? Have rest for now".

The rain stopped, having bathed the thirsty earth in its cooling water. Obi-Wan fell asleep, completely drained. Meanwhile, Anakin treated his hurt ribcage, musing on what had actually happened.

* * *

Obi-Wan woke up in a tidy room, wrapped up in blankets, his head buzzing. Air smelled of lemon drops and medicine. Rubbing his numb neck, the Jedi sat up. Strange… he had no memory of this place. Puzzled, he caught his Padawan whisper in the dark. 

Anakin was recording a message on a portable data-chip in the other room. His hushed voice was full of concern, doubt and passion. "…By rights I should be by your side now! Looks like we aren't even in the Core anymore. Don't worry when you get this message. I'll be… _we_'ll be fine".

"Who are you planning to call?" Obi-Wan asked. His apprentice faced him, hiding the chip behind his back.

"Noone!"

"I assume, you've already contacted the Council".

Skywalker unfolded a holomap in front of him, maximized the area of their possible whereabouts and reported rapidly: "According to what I've learnt from the locals, this moon is the fourth satellite in the Luki System, Morra, or Luki IV. It's small, almost entirely occupied by various labs and pharmaceutical companies. The interesting fact is that we've very nearly been _pulled_ in by the moon's natural forcefield".

Anakin wasn't speaking about _the Force_ though Obi-Wan accented his attention at that. The planet seemed to be very Force saturated. It reeked with the Force. Obi-Wan couldn't understand why he had never heard of it before. He sensed an unusual amount of life here, almost as if they fell _inside_ the Living Force itself.

Anakin coughed to remind of his presence. "I have contacted the Council. They promised to delay the meeting until we are available. The problem is that the locals don't travel often. The choice of the ships isn't big".

"We aren't in the position to choose anything", Obi-Wan remarked.

"Exactly. I'm afraid we'll have to wait at least a week before they allot us a transport…"

His voice trailed off. Obi-Wan bent his head at the acceptance of the unfortunate fact. The Jedi are patient. The Jedi never demand, they wait.

They agreed to wait. Obi-Wan's silence signed an invisible contract for that.


	4. Infallible

**Title**: "Transcend Force"

**Author**: Shaitanah

**Rating**: PG-13

**Timeline**: Before ANH (Republic episodes – a month after AOTC)

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. + _'It could have been anyone. Not necessarily them… us'_.

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _belong to a genius, i.e. George Lucas. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: Anakin/Padme fans would probably wish to kill me for this chapter… Anyway, THANK YOU million times to those who reviewed. I decided to update a bit earlier than I planned to & it's thanks to you. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**INFALLIBLE**

The briefing room was full of rebels of all life-forms and species. The air hissed with comment, charging the atmosphere with agitation. A messenger made it to the clearing, peered around and finally saw a blue-skinned Twi'lek in the corner. He waved at her and wandered over.

"Captain Salusa, I'm glad I found you".

"What is it, Marn?" the Twi'lek asked wearily. Deep blue shades circled her eyes. She didn't have much sleep these days.

"We've just received a transmission from our allies on Luki IV. Lieutenant Kerrit's already there. He has no other option but to take Vader to the Core at his command".

O'bar pressed on her temples, trying to rid herself of headache. Her heart beat wildly as if ready to leap out of her throat. For a moment she heard nothing but that overwhelming noise.

She rushed to her quarters, plugged the holo-device in. She kept asking herself again and again what she was doing. Most Twi'leks ignored the civil war. They believed that no matter who would have won, the Empire or the Alliance, the Twi'lek prosperity would come either way when the grudge is over. Her people adapted easily. Regardless of the outcome, they would benefit.

But O'bar was hungry for action, anxious to prove not all Twi'lek women were slaves or exotic dancers just like not all Twi'lek men were criminals. That's why she fled her home world of Ryloth and joined the Alliance. She also met Val there. Sometimes she wished she hadn't.

Val was what an adventurous girl could only ask for: reckless, cocky, mischievous sparks in his eyes and a load of priceless ideas under his rich mane of jet-black hair. 'With a guy like this one eventually gets more than she bargained for', Princess Leia remarked after having been introduced to him. O'bar ignored her judgement. What experience with guys could Leia possibly have? Now she was beginning to see her friend was right.

The comlink chimed and a slim figure of a young girl appeared in the holoprojector's port. Her round, doll-like face of a calm beauty expressed deep concern.

"Leia!" O'bar exclaimed. "I'm sorry to have violated the restriction for using this channel, but I desperately need to talk to you". She spilled everything out. The Princess's face remained placid. She frowned a little before saying: "This is very unfortunate! We can't afford a frontal attack on Darth Vader. Nonetheless, if he shows up on the station, we're doomed. And he will if gets to the Core!"

O'bar hung her head. She knew they would have to trigger the time bomb that would set the stirring in motion. That time bomb was now on Luki. She ordered to act immediately. Their allies on the orange moon should have to hold Vader up come what might.

* * *

Noone expected to be attacked in full view of the public.

A swarm of people flooded the streets, marching towards the test sites. Small X- and Y-winged ships flew low above the ground, splashing laser beams. A series of explosions thundered in the square. A fountain of red flame spangled with black dots shot up into the turbid sky. The blast wave jolted convulsing bodies, threw them up and smashed a layer of asphalt. The square was ringing with screams, wailing, buzzing of shotguns.

Darth Vader stepped into the street, flanked by a company of local stormtroopers. He commanded them to disperse. After that was performed, he rushed into the battle, letting the Force guide him. His hand knew no mercy. His crimson blade clashed, burning steel, turning shields and armor into pieces of demolished material. Having barely turned his head, he caught the sight of Kerrit cutting his way through a pack of rebels.

It lasted for a few minutes, or so it seemed. Blades glowed, curve arcs of laser rays danced beneath the clouded sky, tens of hands beat writhing bodies, grinding them into oblivion.

Val tripped over someone who moaned but was to drained to protest. He fell down, coughing because of smoke. Everything looked grotesque, painted in gaudy colors. A rebel pointed a blaster on him and fired before he could explain himself. A stormtrooper hit the man, saving Val's life. Sharp pain pierced his leg. He growled through clenched teeth and went on shooting. It was the hardest part. Damn them all, he was no warrior! He was no Katarn.

Victims continued to multiply. They numbered tens now, a hundred maybe. Steeped in perspiration, Val prayed it would stop.

Spinning frantically, Vader crashed his enemies. He performed every single blow with surgical precision, worthy to be admired. Blood splashed from wounds like juice from overripe fruit. Someone slashed Vader's forearm. The Dark Lord heard a gasp of astonishment. 'They think I'm a cyborg', a thought came. Vader whirled around, his cape billowing in the wind, and struck the attackers.

The battle was over quite soon. Imperial Forces rarely held anyone captive away from special detention blocks, but Vader insisted on taking prisoners. He wanted to know the aim of this attack. It looked ill-planned, hurried. The Sith Lord walked between the rows of corpses, calculating chances. Millions of 'what-if's' raced within his mind.

He noticed someone move beside the building. A survivor of the rebels. Good. Vader called a couple of troopers for the record and raised the dying man above the ground. Time to learn the truth.

"Well!" Vader growled, clenching his fingers. His victim was trying helplessly to pry them loose. "I demand that you tell me who arranged this attack, now!"

"…know nothing…" the man wheezed. "Jus' did what we were told t'do–".

"By whom?" The man went limp, his words muffled, but Vader continued to tighten his grip if only to banish his anger. Then with a disgusted sigh he threw the man against the wall. The damaged form lay still.

"Summon Kerrit!" the Dark Lord roared.

His aide-de-camp appeared almost instantly. Covered in soot and dry blood, he appeared to have gone through a rough battle. He bowed to his chief, gazing apologetically at his hurt leg – the reason he couldn't muster a real deep bow. The Sith Lord gestured towards the clearing. The moved farther from the stormtroopers and locals taking away the bodies.

"Now, adjutant, you will explain the meaning of this", Vader said crossly.

"Explain, my lord?" Kerrit asked to repeat.

"I wish to know what the purpose of this was. Surely your friends couldn't hope to defeat me. They are no match for me with all their squadrons and companies".

Kerrit arched his brows in question to the term 'your friends'. He opened his mouth to contradict it. Vader raised his hand. Kerrit's hand flew up to his throat automatically.

"You certainly did not hope to fool me with your poor masquerade. I should have given you special attention right after your arrest. You are in league with the rebels".

"How can you believe them, not me?" Kerrit wheezed. "I'm loyal to you, my lord, all I have is f-faith–".

He was already gagging. His throat, as if in the grip of invisible talons, began to constrict. Air was his first priority, and it was slipping away. Sweating, Val fell down on his knees, wordlessly praying to spare him.

"So much the worse for you, adjutant".

A loud call distracted Vader. He turned to see Sora, her face twisted by disgust which she managed to conceal at once. She was horrified. A very odd feeling coursed through Darth Vader's soul. He didn't want to aggrieve her. It appalled him that right now she was even more like that _other_ woman that pulled him back, and wept at the loss of his innocence, and begged him to _leave everything else behind while they still could_.

"The captive is ready to talk", Sora announced and looked away from Kerrit, released, but coughing and gasping for air.

"You will come with me", Vader told him when his face lost its deseased, purple-blue color, and strolled towards the prison cells.

The captive was a stocky, goggle-eyed man, rather unpleasant to look at. He was shaking fiercely under the guard's piercing looks. He started blabbering once he saw Vader's powerful image in the door. The words came out muffled and choked, his face twitched, and he sobbed violently. Finally, about to call some names, he hopped towards the baffled Sora all of a sudden in attempt to strangle her. Vader rose his hand to tear him off of her, but he was late. A blast wheezed in the air. The man fell into a dead heap on the floor, shot down by Kerrit. Rubbing her bruised neck, Sora thanked him in a small whisper.

Val remained silent, frowning slightly. He could feel Vader's suspicious glance even through the lenses. His legend was probably totally ruined. For a moment he considered running his ass off, so to speak. He had much faith in the Rebellion, but he wasn't willing to sacrifice his life for its cause. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was his love for O'bar. He could leave everything behind but her.

Vader went out without a word. He decided to leave Kerrit be for a while and watch over his actions. Clearly Kerrit fired on purpose – at this particular time, to prevent the Dark Lord from finding out what the rebel had to say. However, he failed. Vader guessed that the point was to keep him on that planet. 'They don't need me at the Core. It might have something to do with… the Death Star!' Of course! The Alliance had learnt of the shining globe that appeared in the center of the Galaxy not so long ago.

"What would you have me do, my lord?" Sora asked quietly. Vader cursed his sensitivity again: neither his intuition, nor the Force had told him the girl was following him.

"You are dismissed for now, captain". As she turned to leave, relieved, he stopped her by asking: "You do not like my means of dealing with traitors, do you?"

"I don't think _like_ is the right word, my lord", Sora replied, perplexed. Vader resisted the urge to try mind tricks on her to make her spill it out.

There was something about her… As if it wasn't him that she didn't _like_, but the Force itself. Last night he read her file. Daughter of a well-known businessman, kin to ancient noble families, Sora was born in the waning years of the Republic. After Palpatine's revolution Zabel's companies were expropriated. The Empire accused him of being in league with the Separatists, so he fled Coruscant to the remote system of Luki. He actually managed to rise again by taking the duties of local Commander In Chief.

Could it possibly be that the girl was Force-sensitive? In some twisted way Vader saved her, otherwise, she would have been taken to the Jedi Temple at infancy.

Sora continued to drill the Dark Lord with her huge hazel eyes. He nodded to her dismissively. The dreadful day would come tomorrow. Furious, Vader stormed into his quarters, charged the HoloNet apparatus and ran the trace search for 'Feyh, Vere'. The file turned out to be a basic interpretation of what Sora had told him earlier. He checked up on 22 years ago just to make sure his premonitions were wrong. One thing stunned him as he was about to close the dossier. He stumbled across a mention of 'two mysterious strangers, presumably, Jedi' in Dr Feyh's personal blog of that year. It didn't have any particular meaning. It was peculiar, though. It touched something inside the Dark Lord.

'It could have been anyone. Not necessarily them… _us_'.

* * *

Anakin barely made it out of the talons of his dream. He'd been feeling very sleepy for some reason. This planet affected him in the most peculiar way. He tried to consult his Master, but the older Jedi, still powerless because of the accident, hardly ever woke up to have a snack – and only if Anakin insisted.

Yawning and stretching, Anakin checked up on his comlink to receive another message from Padme. He had to do justice to his reserve: freaking out of desire to reunite with his wife, he, nevertheless, maintained control of himself. Barely a month of being a newlywed, already separated from his 'angel', in addition, he had to lie to Obi-Wan and entire Jedi Council for his marriage was a violation of the Code. 'You've made a commitment', Obi-Wan loved to lecture him. 'A commitment is not easily broken'. He _had made_ a commitment and he _had chosen_ to live a lie. Somehow he just had to deal with that.

"Anakin", Kenobi's voice broke into his thoughts. Young Jedi glared at him with tired eyes. Force, he wanted to fall asleep again and rest until Coruscant stone mazes dissolved into real jungle.

Skywalker gestured for Obi-Wan to wait, washed his face with cold water and wiped it dry. His cheeks flushed pinkish, giving him a cocky, boyish appearance.

"I need you to go looking for a suitable transport", said Obi-Wan, switching the tap off after him. "Alas, I cannot join you. I must be present on that unfortunate briefing we are missing right now. I hope it will be no problem. Distortion's been really nerve-wrecking".

"You should rest, Master. You still look sick".

"Now that's a Jedi Healer! One good experiment doesn't make you a doctor".

Anakin blinked in surprise. That was too harsh, very much unlike Obi-Wan. He also perceived that.

"I'm sorry, Anakin. I don't know what's come over me".

"It's alright, really. Probably just stress", murmured Anakin.

As he walked along the street, his thoughts whirled around that odd collision. 'Just _stress'_, he scolded himself. That sounded very far-fetched: a true Jedi would never fall under stress. Of course, being nearly killed in the slaughter-house on Geonosis and all that… Anakin brushed torpor off. That was insignificant now. To get to Coruscant only mattered, here and now.

Looking for a cosmodrome, Anakin came across an imposing spherical building made of glass and durasteel. Light flashed through its curves and rafters, weaving a rich, golden tapestry. It covered the building, making it look like a huge mirror reflecting the sky. Colorful flags battered on its spires. The parking lot teemed with aircrafts of all models. After a brief moment of doubt Anakin merged with the crowd that was as if being sucked into the entrance.

It was a feast of sound and vision. Thousands of droid models chirped, and squirked, and jingled on various stages, everything from kitchen cleaners to large armored shooters charged with armor-piercing shells was a matter of pride of some genius. People approached the stages, examined exhibited material, occasionally bought something. Fascinated, Anakin roamed the halls of the demonstration center, avoiding HoloNet cameras, caressing display units with his gaze. Outstanding! Anakin hardly mustered his breath, sharpened by admiration. He glared at every exhibit as if he were a child entranced by a unique toy. _Unique_, the very right word. Everything here was just so… mesmerizing.

He rather sensed than saw a woman to his left, fighting an unruly droid. It beeped and whined, spinning wildly, running into every hard object with a loud chirping.

"No, no, no!" Anakin exclaimed, rescuing the exhibit from the woman. "This type has a very sophisticated structure. You'd have to plug this wire in here in order to start the device of a regular B-2. 1 mechanoid, whereas here you should use this port". He unwrapped the woman's fingers still constricting the plug gently and connected it up. The droid's craze vanished without a trace. It calmed down and greeted his mistress with a cheerful beeping. "Oh, and those little fellows need brushing after every session. You know that, right?"

"Thank you so much", the woman smiled, relieved. "I'm not a good hand at droids".

Anakin examined her cautiously. She was, in his opinion, of a warm, coffee-like beauty. Her long brown hair lay loose on her shoulders, framing creamy face sprayed with bluing that came out of the robot. She accepted Anakin's handkerchief with a shy smile. Unwittingly, he feasted his eyes upon her.

"I'm Vere Feyh", she introduced herself. The Jedi shook her hand.

"Anakin Skywalker".

"Welcome, Anakin Skywalker from afar!" She giggled girlishly at his puzzled face. "Well, first of all, you're dressed differently. Then, you have a Coruscant accent. And lastly, you wear that rabbit-in-the-headlights facial expression that marks all outlanders here". Yeah, it wasn't so hard to deduct that. Anakin smiled cheerfully. "To thank you", said Vere and waved towards a small coffee-house around the corner. "My treat".

Anakin didn't have that much experience with women. Girls in the Temple had always been no more than his fellow Padawan learners. His heart had only ever beaten faster for Padme. But that day he met a woman that was smart, and funny, and elegant in some other way. She shared his passion for fixing things though droids made her jittery, going rebellious on her. Moreover, she hated sand and avoided desert planets, she loved podracing and flew speeders like a maniac. They chattered for hours. Anakin defined her as _amazing_.

"By the way, I find your name wonderful. It is very… uncommon. There is an ancient language that comes from a planet that has been non-existent for thousands of years, long before the Republic times. There is a word 'anakin' there. It means… 'Chosen One'".

"Of course", Skywalker muttered. His lifetime curse – the one who can bring balance to the Force.

As they parted, Vere bid goodbye to 'the Chosen One who walked the sky'. Men like him became great. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been born.

Completely enticed, Skywalker returned to the motel. The sky swell with rain clouds. Anakin paused and tilted his head to catch some strange echo, some vibration that had passed him by just then. It rankled him and altered the very shape of things. The Force whispered to him. He couldn't distinguish any words, but he felt its accusatory intonation. It frowned upon his doing. Did he really betray his feelings for Padme? No, of course, not! He just had a pleasant time, a few precious hours worthy of remembrance in the future.

Anakin hid from the rain that had set for a long time in his room. Not only the Force took it upon itself to frown, but so did Obi-Wan.

"Did you rent the ship?"

Anakin opened his mouth and closed it with a click. He _forgot_! It totally slipped his mind! Obi-Wan gasped at the outrage.

"I can't believe it! What have you been doing all this time, then?"

"I… Well…" He wanted to change the subject and told Obi-Wan how weird the Force had felt just before his return, but his Master was particularly inflexible today. In fact, he had never seen Kenobi that grumpy.

"Are you implying that you literally screwed our last chance to get to the military briefing in the Temple up because you've been to that technical show? Oh yes, you lied to me, Anakin, I'm well aware of that. I saw your face on the HoloNet just for a brief moment in the flick about that activity. I just can't understand why you chose not to tell me! I know you wouldn't tell me, I just know it. Why blame the Force, dammit? Admit it: you forgot! And it wouldn't be your first blunder!"

Anakin blinked, offended and outraged. This was no mere stress. It was as if Obi-Wan had ceased being a Jedi all of a sudden. Moreover, this was _not_ Obi-Wan. Anakin considered that every patience had a limit, but Obi-Wan's expanding exasperation was more of an opposition to that theory. As if that man had never had any patience at all.

"Bloody Sith, you should listen to me and learn, Anakin! If you have no respect for me as a person, you should at least respect my age and my experience!"

Biting his lip, Anakin stared at him bluntly. The door slammed shut, and only then he realized his Master was off. Something cold crept inside Anakin and tossed there. He was angry and scared and tried to choke those feelings for they were a path to even more fear and anger.


	5. Birthday Candle

**Title**: "Transcend Force"

**Author**: Shaitanah

**Rating**: PG-13

**Timeline**: Before ANH (Republic episodes – a month after AOTC)

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. + It's Vader's BIRTHDAY!; Vader departs; Anakin faces some demons.

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _belong to a genius, i.e. George Lucas. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: I really hope you enjoy this story. Please, review. Reviews can save lives. I'm serious!

**A/N2**: "You are now married to the Dark Side of the Force. You need no other companion". – the quote comes from _Dark Lord: Rise of Darth Vader_ by James Luceno.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**BIRTHDAY CANDLE**

Today.

In his meditation chamber the Dark Lord of the Sith battled the Force that crushed against his tortured soul in ranting waves. The day had come.

He tapped furiously, then resumed the sitting position and dipped back into the Force. He grasped that accursed memory of the shuttle starting, ceased it and tried to squeeze it into some chronological frame. But no realization came.

Sora knocked politely. Nothing. She peered into the darkened room where a single candle was burning sadly. The masked Sith Lord sat in front of it. Uncertain of her own bravery, Sora stepped in, ready to wait rather than disrupt a session of meditation.

A single shaft of light gleamed on the black helmet. The composition was awesome and fascinating.

"I am ready to hear you out, captain", Vader spoke. Unprepared, Sora shuddered.

"Your shuttle will be ready in a few days, my lord. Mechanics, unfortunately, lack several substantial parts like a hyperdrive–".

"Your planet does not want to let me go, don't you think so?"

Sora blinked. Rumor had it that travelers from off-world frequently had troubles getting out of Luki. Ships lost parts and broke down in that area of space precisely. Old wives' tales, Sora believed it. She moved carefully to the door, not willing to disturb Vader. Strange, but she no longer despised him. There was something very familiar about him, a _warm_ feeling…

"Do you feel sorry for me?" Vader chuckled. Amplified by the vocoder, it was a frightening sound. It raised hair at the back of her neck. "What have I done to deserve such grace?"

She couldn't make out the difference between mocking and sincerity. Either way, she felt uncomfortable having this kind of conversation with this kind of person.

"I won't tell if you don't tell", she winked. "Hey, isn't it a birthday candle?"

She instantly regretted having said that. Vader's breath was like a hollow wind. Fear mounted inside of Sora once again.

"You mean to ask me if it is my birthday today? Do I look like someone who has a birthday to you?"

Sora blushed. Vader wondered what she actually thought about him now. She was attracted to him or rather his aura of power as he estimated it. "You are now married to the Dark Side of the Force", the Emperor told him soon after his transformation onto _the_ monster. "You need no other companion". They always told him what to do, first the Jedi, then Darth Sidious. He needed none – they made him believe it. It was a team effort, and now he hated both Sidious and the Jedi.

He wanted to know how long that little platform had been there. According to Sora, it had been in use for almost forty years. Commander In Chief planned to close it to upgrade soon.

"Why do you think it is a birthday candle, captain?" Vader asked Sora before she left.

"Dunno, it just sort of hit me". She paused. "Probably because I do basically the same thing when it's my birthday: stare at the fire and wallow in memories".

_I don't have that many memories_, Vader thought.

How did she do that again, that Padme-like child who was afraid of the Force? How was she capable of reminding him the very worst of his past: Anakin, Amidala, Obi-Wan, the Jedi… the baby?.. His mind wandered back to the baby. What if it didn't die? Would Vader no longer be alone in the Universe?

In her room Sora leaned against the wall, cupping her face with her hands. Her pulse was so fast. It seemed her heart fluttered like a caged bird.

"Well-well, you've actually made friends with the monstrous Lord Vader!" Jass chuckled. She gave him a dirty look. "Are you close enough to make him stop squashing planets like bugs?"

"Sod off, Jass! He's just a very lonely man", she fired off a bit irrelevantly.

* * *

Kerrit checked if anyone was dogging him and slipped into the lab. The sign on the door said: 'Jass Apollo'.

Val had just gotten a very difficult assignment from the Alliance leaders: to steal the plans of the _TF_. If they deprived the Empire of two powerful installations at once, it would be a disaster.

He checked numerous computers only to make it clear most data was password-protected. Being an experienced programmer, he hacked a large part, all he needed eventually ended up copied to his data-chip. He sent an affirmative transmission to the local headquarters. It moved right after the last day's events, but he, having been given the codes, had no trouble finding its contact channel.

Later Val joined the scientists to have a cup of coffee. His title 'Everybody's Sweetheart' held true once again. The doctors' company was jolly and complex-free. They talked freely about anything up to criticizing the regime (though here Kerrit abstained). It was a breath of fresh air after brainwashed Imperial soldiers or revolution-crazed rebels.

Dr Apollo also proved to be a fine interlocutor and a fascinating speaker. To Val's excitement, he turned out to be even younger than himself, perhaps around 25 years old. He'd be a mere trainee on Coruscant at this age. Nevertheless, his topics were capacious and well-planned. His eyes gave away wit and sparkled mischievously every time someone managed to drag him into a hot discussion.

O'bar probably wouldn't like him. To make sure, Kerrit initiated a conversation about power plants and modern weapon.

"Of course, it's dangerous", Jass shrugged, lighting a cigarette. "All those acid rains, air and water pollution, greenhouse effect caused by tests and all that. Planets where modern rockets have been trialed are on the brink of extinction. The seas are filled with nuclear and industrial waste, chemical fertilizers. Large factories emit tons of harmful chemicals".

"So you admit you contaminate the Universe".

"Technically, yes. However, what we try to achieve is a whole new step in creating efficient defense units. Take the _TF_, for example". Val listened up eagerly. Carried away, Apollo skipped to the part he was most interested in. "It's partially organic. It also contains artificial neural network. Of course, it's still a lot simpler than human or even droid brain, though it's a grand step forward. It will be able to identify targets and strike with a detailed precision. It'll save a lot of effort to its operators".

"Isn't it reckless to let a machine decide who to kill?"

Jass chuckled softly. "We let military droids do it, don't we?"

"Not even a million of droids can take out a planet. How can you count on a rocket to be sensible or trustworthy enough and not to make a mistake that would cost life to a billion of people?"

Jass considered it for a moment, then made a serious face and said: "There is nothing so powerful that it could destroy a planet. That's impossible".

If only he knew how wrong he'd been! Val recalled the images of the Death Star he'd seen in Admiral Armin's personal archives: a shining globe as big as an average moon, probably armed with a destructive laser beam.

O'bar wouldn't like this one for sure!

Vader's helmeted head turned slowly away from the sight. Kerrit and Apollo were still chatting vividly. Something was wrong about it… dangerous. Vader thought that putting them together was reckless. It could lead to unwanted results.

He had just talked to Palpatine again. He didn't plan to reveal him all the details of the battle, but it turned out the Emperor had already been informed. Right after the conference Vader killed the spy supposed to keep an eye on the Dark Lord. This event thrilled him. He had never been that impulsive. Of course, he had much more freedom than young Skywalker because noone was there to put a hand on his shoulder at crucial moments and will him to control his anger. But he had displeased the Emperor who'd probably make him pay at least with another mission alike.

All ties were severed. Vader was truly isolated now. Somehow he doubted Kerrit would tell on him; no Imperial officer certainly would. He had enough time to deal with his memory. His shuttle was almost finished.

"You wanted to see me, my lord?" Sora bowed stiffly, hoping this wouldn't be a late reaction to 'a birthday candle'.

"I want you to keep an eye on adjutant Kerrit. You will report directly to me. Commander Moriarti has no need to know of that… assistance".

Sora withheld her comments. Great! Now he wants her to be a spy. She thought she could sink no lower.

"I am going away for a time", Vader went on. "I want your report at least half-ready by the time I come back".

"If I might, my lord, where are you going?"

Sora expected an explosion or another session of Force demonstration. Vader considered her question for a moment and replied thoughtfully: "To find an old friend".

* * *

Anakin lost track of Obi-Wan. It frightened him: they never quarreled that hard. He resisted the urge to call Padme to seek consolation. In fact, he wasn't sure he deserved it after he forgot his duties and practically crossed Padme out of his mind for another woman. Was it cheating? Was he unfaithful to his wife? It buzzed through his skull all night.

Anakin roared and hit the nighttable with his foot in despair. Everything was so incredibly wrong! He felt so exultant yesterday. Today he sobered. He had to go out there, to find Obi-Wan, to admit he was wrong and apologize. And then – learn from his mistakes. The reason might be his secret. Of course! Obi-Wan must have felt something but he was too well-bred to ask. A wall had grown between the Master and his apprentice since Geonosis. _Stop!_ Anakin restrained himself. _Don't think about Geonosis. Don't think about how Kenobi didn't want him to find your mother, how he looked at you knowing you'd been to Tatooine already. Don't remember how he ordered to leave Padme when she fell out of the aircraft's hatch!_

Anakin relaxed and sank back into cooling meditation. Calm down… 'Many ways the Force has', Yoda used to say. 'But none of them the path of aggravation is'. _Feel the Force coursing through you. Feel its gentle flow caressing your nerves. Act calmly, coolly, without incident_.

Anakin opened his eyes. He felt ready to go.

The city ran ablaze with blooming tulips and dandelions. Various vehicles circled the flowerbeds. Occasionally a manly hand would shoot out of the window, pick a soft, vibrant flower and pass it into a woman's delicate hand. Laughter flitted over the streets. It was summer, the source of joy for local workaholics.

Anakin cooled down and let the Force lead him. It knew what it was doing better than the wanton Padawan. To his amazement, it brought him to the outskirts of the city. Obi-Wan seemed to be nowhere in sight. It was dark here, the air saturated with fear emanated the Dark Side itself. 'It's not necessarily dark on the Dark Side', Anakin remembered one funny saying, popular with Padawans. He ignited his lightsaber. The light thrown by the blade illuminated hardly more than a meter in his way. Anakin's heart made a weird clicking sound, beating faster and faster. What was it… _fear_?

As he pushed further, his eyes grew accustomed to the blackness. It enveloped him completely, yet it became transparent, allowing him to see through it. He caught his breath and continued to move forward. A squally gust of the wind almost pinned him to the ground and threw a distant cry in his face. Someone was calling for help. A woman… or a child, judging by the small voice. Anakin hurried towards the sound.

"…help me!.. Please, help!"

Something was intriguingly familiar about that. Anakin felt the space around him widen. He ventured deeper into what looked like a chamber. His breath came out in a series of hissing, venomous sounds that frightened him. He inhaled dust and moisture of that peculiar place.

The call for help repeated. Anakin shouted back, straining to understand where it came from.

"Help me! Please, get me out of here, I wanna go home!" the child (Anakin was certain of it) wailed.

"Don't be afraid, kid! I'm coming!" A stupid thing to say. The kid had no knowledge of him. He could mistake Anakin for a bad guy.

The chamber was filled with smoke so hot it scorched Anakin's skin. The youth hissed loudly.

Finally he saw the child. It was a little boy dressed in plain clothes, probably from off-world, tanned, sandy-haired and innocent. His image was vaguely familiar to Anakin. The Jedi approached cautiously and reached out for the boy. The kid glared at him, scared, and moved farther to the sticky wall.

"I'm here to help you", explained Anakin. "You can trust me, I'm a Jedi". (Now that's a reason!) "Let's go".

The boy hesitated but then crawled up to Anakin and grabbed his hand. The young Jedi ignited his sword once again, using it as a beacon. The boy looked at it, numb with admiration. Skywalker grinned: was his reaction different when he first saw a lightsaber attached to Qui-Gon's belt?

They treaded slowly through the dark. The boy clutched Anakin's hand nervously. Not a sound.

Then, a stunning _hiss_ came and tore away the deafening silence. Anakin threw his lightsaber up and side-stepped the attack. An imposing figure was looming over him, a crimson blade at the ready. A Jedi? Or… _a Sith_? Darkness dissolved to reveal neither a man nor a cyborg, clad in heavy armor and black helmet. His face was completely disguised by a direful mask. Harsh synthesized breath was hears from it, amplified by a triangular breath screen. Anakin had never seen anything as frightening and equally astounding. Sacred horror coursed through his very soul.

The ghastly shape raised the saber, prepared to strike. Anakin rolled back, pulling the boy with him. He was the first priority. Ensure the kid's safety, then fight.

He could feel the black man chase them. The Force was extremely strong with that one. It swirled around him like a typhoon. He came closer. Anakin turned round a second before the crimson blade would crush down on his head. The sabers clashed. Anakin summoned the unifying power and Force-jumped forward, taking the child with him.

"It's alright", he stroked the boy's head. His eyes grew almost as wide as the kid's. "He can't have us".

He turned his head, petrified. The black man drew near, having almost caught up with them. His gloved hand reached for the prey.

Anakin sprang forward, determined to protect the boy at all costs. The black knight lunged at him with a forceful swing. His breath sounded malicious. Skywalker parried, confusing the opponent with tricky movements. Evading the erupting ray of the laser blade, he fought hard, panting and sweating. His heart pounded. The black man stumbled backwards under the series of Anakin's lunges. It wasn't so hard to prevail, Anakin decided.

He tilted his head to check if the kid was fine. So very unfortunate that he had to watch. Skywalker's heart sank. He recognized the kid. The little junk-yard slave from Tatooine. The daily sun of Shmee Skywalker. The boy was _himself_…

A powerful blow struck the back of Anakin's head. Everything started to melt. His vision became drained of colors. He fell down on his knees, the boy and the black man fusing into one being before his eyes. Incapable to think or act, he felt he stopped existing.

Anakin regained his consciousness after someone poured a strong stream of Force into him. It was like cold water. It woke up his reflexes, heightened his senses, and he dived out of his deep drowsiness to see Kenobi's worried face.

"M-master… Ho do you?.. What happened? That man… where is he!"

"What man? Anakin, you've been unconscious for a while. I found you out of the precincts of the town. You were ranting".

"Master, the man in black armor! He possessed a crimson blade. He fought like a Jedi!"

"Precisely", nodded Obi-Wan. "You keep talking about that man all the time. There was no man".

Anakin screwed up his eyes. The burning at the back of his head was unbearable.

The black man had gotten his hands on little Ani! It must have been a vision, a jest. Obi-Wan saw nothing. No, that boy couldn't… _shouldn't_ have been Ani for real! It must have been some kind of warning.

"Why did you go there, to begin with?" Kenobi inquired.

"I… I wanted to apologize. I failed you, Master. I didn't mean to. You know you're like a father to me. Or a big brother".

Obi-Wan chuckled despite his aspiration to reprimand Anakin. The trace he left in the Force warmed up, lightened, refreshed. He no longer conceived of why he had snapped at his Padawan.

"Anakin", he said quietly. "I love you and I thank the Force every day for having you by my side. Of course, you can be a source of immense grief, but most of the time I'm very glad and proud of you".

That was what he felt. He didn't mean a single offensive word he had said before. He never meant to sadden or humiliate Anakin. He must have been sort of a Chosen One too – chosen to be Anakin's friend.

Skywalker smiled wryly. Mission accomplished.

* * *

Kerrit watched a lean green being separate from the wall. The alien was a chameleon. He blended in every background easily.

"Are you Woot?" Val asked carefully. A long head on a giraffe's neck rocked slightly.

"Do you have the data?" the alien asked in a raspy voice.

Val gave him the chip and strode away in silence. Now there was no turning back.

Sora followed him until he merged with a crowd of lab assistants flowing into the principal entrance of the base.


	6. Sorrow

**Title**: "Transcend Force"

**Author**: Shaitanah

**Rating**: PG-13

**Timeline**: Before ANH (Republic episodes – a month after AOTC)

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. + Anakin & Obi-Wan just can't go on without another fight!

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _belong to a genius, i.e. George Lucas. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: Looks like you just can't stay away from _Star Wars_ characters if you write a _Star Wars_ story! & people, thank you for reading my story even if you don't review. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't appreciate reviews! So please, tell me what you think. & sorry for the delay. I had trouble uploading this chapter. Thank you for your patience!

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**SORROW**

They often mistook her for a handmaiden: active, straightforward, Princess Leia of Alderaan had no touch of aristocratic arrogance in the least. Being a foster child, she never knew her real parents but now that she thought of it, she'd never have traded 19 years in the House of Organa for uncertainty. She loved her parents fiercely, anxiously; the thought of leaving them for such a dangerous mission saddened her deeply.

Leia discovered the fact of the Death Star having been constructed while on a charity mission to a blocked planet. She could hardly believe it. The Death Star should become the final tool of the government. Fear would keep everyone in line. This wasn't to be done! The heads of the Rebellion ran an emergency conference and agreed to send Kyle Katarn on a mission to the planet of Danuta to get the data. Combined with the Death Star's technical characteristics it would be priceless.

Katarn was one of the deftest and most cunning rebel fighters, a former Imperial who hated the Empire almost as passionately as Palpatine hated the Alliance. Leia trusted him to succeed. They agreed to meet by the Toprawa System. Noone would suspect a diplomatic cruiser from Alderaan. Alderaan was a peaceful planet with no regular army, the final shelter for democratic refugees but not a threat in the eyes of the Emperor. Or so Leia would like to hope.

Her foster father was sitting in the palace garden by the fountain, glaring thoughtfully at the bright jets. The sight of it brought peace to Leia's heart. She hugged him from the back and planted a gentle kiss on his temple.

"I must go".

"Already?"

"Yes. I've just received a transmission from Mon Mothma. It is time".

She didn't want the parting to be long and painful. Mom would certainly burst in tears. Leia kissed her father again and ran inside the palace to find the Queen.

Bail watched her until her ghost-like shape disappeared behind the columns. It was amazing how much she looked like her mother. Not Queen Breha, though Leia certainly inherited some of Alderaanian royal beauty, he chuckled, but her real mother, Senator Amidala from Naboo. Especially now: so determined, so self-confident and so fragile at the same time. Padme wanted to fight till the end. Bail remembered how she pulled him back in the Senate and told him to wait. It was her idea to found the Rebellion, or at least, it was her idea to create an idea. To feed the Hope.

Leia's rosy face framed with two tight buns over the ears flashed by the window for a moment. Amidala loved the same hairstyle. Bail sighed. He lived with a heartbreak of losing a friend, loyal allies, democracy he had fought so hard to preserve. Losing a daughter was his greatest fear. It made him wake up night after night, hearing a powerful mechanical hiss in the dark. He must have been the only man alive apart from the Emperor who knew who Darth Vader was. And he feared that the black knight would come for him and make him pay. They encountered each other from time to time and something crashed inside Organa each time he laid his eyes upon the Dark Lord. His thoughts dwelt on the love that had died, on secrets that had been kept, on Kenobi who must have still lived anonymous on Tatooine.

Sometimes he looked at Leia and noticed how much she resembled Padme, and he was afraid that the Dark Lord would also find the similarity. He'd know it all in that instant. "She's mine", he'd say and he'd take Leia away from him. But she would never join him and he would probably slaughter her out of malice.

'He might be looking for a son', Bail tried to reason. No, Skywalker told Padme it'd be a girl. That's what she said on her deathbed, picking a name. the Sith Lord would seek a girl.

Aboard her cruiser, _Tantive IV_, Princess Leia was also thinking about her family. She loved them all dearly; in her heart a dreadful feeling was swelling like a throbbing wound: she would never see them again.

"Your Highness", Captain Antilles called her. "Bad news from Luki. Woot is dead, he had no time to transmit the data to our headquarters. We're losing the _TF_, I'm afraid".

"There's got to be another way", Leia murmured. Bad start for a mission. "What of Vader?"

"That's another bad news". Antilles paused, uncertain. "He's missing".

* * *

Obi-Wan reached out to the Force determined to make a contact. The Force went numb. He didn't get a reply. The Force had left him.

Something stirred inside Obi-Wan. He felt like he'd failed his former Master again. _Again, and again, and again._ Things like that took place in every Jedi's life from time to time. The contact should restore later.

Nonetheless, Obi-Wan panicked.

He promised Anakin to explore the phenomenon of the little orange planet, but he couldn't. his emotions perplexed him: he grew envious of Skywalker's uncanny abilities. That was the one who never lost his gift!

"I think this moon has a very peculiar influence on outlanders", Anakin presumed. "It doesn't affect those who live here constantly or just for a longer while".

"What do you mean?"

Anakin burst into confusing theories. Obi-Wan dropped his head on his elbows. The pressure within his brain grew harder. Where was the Force when he needed it so much? All around him as usual, yet it became utterly intangible.

"This is ridiculous!" Kenobi blurted out, ignoring the bonecrushing noise in his skull.

"How else would you explain that you've been sitting here all day, whining and moaning instead of trying to get us out of here?"

The Jedi Master took a deep breath, willing to end _this_ with all his heart. Instead, he fell down on his sofa and buried his face in a pile of pillows. Something inside him pulled him back. Some part of a Jedi within him died.

He heard the door slam shut behind Anakin.

_Jedi are not infallible. We are not perfect. But we try the best we can._ Obi-Wan's behaviour was impermissible. A relentless thought pursued Anakin: the planet had turned the tables. He was grown-up now and Obi-Wan transformed into a youngling.

"How come it does not affect you?" Kenobi inquired. He rushed out of their premises and was eyeing him grudgingly at the moment. "Is that because of that you're the Chosen One, huh? You do have a good excuse every time!"

"I did not ask for this!" Skywalker snapped. The same old song over and over again. "You're holding me back, you nag at me – because of _what_? Of that stupid old prophecy composed by a bunch of Jedi fools? You're just jealous because it's not about you!" Kenobi opened his mouth to object, but Anakin went on fuming: "Ever since we got here I've been trying to do a research, to get us out somehow. What have you been doing? Sleeping, whining, shouting at me? I'm so fed up with you, Master Obi-Wan! You can't even imagine how much!"

That excruciating outburst separated them from each other for a very long time. Anakin didn't feel like talking to his mentor again. Obi-Wan really pissed him off.

He fled to a neat café in the downtown and sipped local alcoholic lemonade to zap his exasperation. Obi-Wan never believed in him. Overly critical, grumpy, boring Jedi aimed to imbalance him, to disrupt his equilibrium with the Force and thus make him a lesser Jedi. Anakin was now certain: Kenobi never wanted his learner to succeed, never to become a Knight. 'I'm a better Jedi than him", thought Anakin grimly. "I already am".

A slender shade slipped on the chair by his side. Anakin raised his head to tell the person out, but words didn't come out. He smiled happily; his mood lightened up.

"Hey, master Skywalker", Vere winked at him. 'How's it going?"

"Not good… I had a row with a close friend of mine. Ah, but you're not interested in that".

Vere's warm fingers intertwined with his. Anakin was glad to see her. They talked for a long time and once again all troubles became unimportant. Her presence was soothing. It frightened Anakin: only Padme made him feel like that.

"I see that you're very far from me", Vere commented softly. Anakin sighed apologetically. She got up and pulled him by the sleeve. "Come on, I wanna show you something".

He followed her, puzzled but amused. The Force swirled around him. It seemed to him for a split second that he and Vere were walking through a blazing tunnel. He'd never felt that bound to the Force as if he were swimming in its depths.

Vere took him to the base. There was a spacious room with hospital-white walls and long grey tables stretched along them. Piles of medical charts towered amid chemical measuring-glasses, test tubes and a couple of incense burners. Strange smell cloyed the air.

"I like to come here to escape the bitters of life", said Vere, waving around the lodging. "You could tell me here".

Anakin snorted. Pour out his feelings? In this lab? To a woman he hardly knew? That wasn't something he would ever do. Nevertheless, Anakin took a deep breath and said:

"I've had my fill, you see. Of _him_, of this life… I used to think it fit me in every way, but a couple of months ago we had this business… I can't tell you what, but I met someone as a result of it… someone I knew a very long time ago. I fell in love. She loved me back. We got married. But that's exactly what I should never have done! Because attachment… attachment's forbidden!"

"Are you a Jedi?" Vere asked quietly. His head dropped. She made a simple guess, but he could neither confirm, nor contradict it. "Alright then, who's _he_?"

"He's my…" Anakin hesitated, struggling to choose a proper definition. "A friend, more of a mentor. He's great, but sometimes, you see… Long story short: he made a promise to his dying friend to take care of me, to educate me and guide me. I thought I was past that… being a 'promise', but I'm not. He only kept me because he was afraid to break that old promise".

Something stirred in the corner, whistling and jingling. Anakin knitted his brows. The sound sort of woke him up.

Vere looked away, chewing at her lip. "I think you should go now", she said. Anakin goggled at her.

"What? You brought me here for a reason, didn't you? Wait, is that your experiment? May I see it?"

"Anakin! You shouldn't be here. My bosses will go nuts if they find you".

He grabbed her by the hand impertinently, making her look him in the eye. She was hiding something, he could tell.

"Are you always that saucy, master Skywalker?"

Anakin freed her and walked to the door. He acted on an impulse, again. He'd have to learn to be patient. Damn it! Obi-Wan again! Vere's close gaze followed him in the hall. She saw him hit the wall in anger and confusion. Then he was off.

Another portion of rain showered the streets. Anakin pulled his hood over his eyes. Water stood under the overcast sky in a solid, sidelong wall. A few torches blazed red as Anakin passed by. Soon afterwards they blinked, switching off. Darkness swallowed Narrhuma.

When the young Jedi was gone, Dr Feyh checked the alarm. Two more minutes, and it could go off. How unreasonable of her to bring Anakin there! Vere slid behind a heavy metallic door and entered a small windowless room. There was a hospital bed in the center of it. A man in a white gown lay immobile on it, his head wound round with wire, a breath tube sticking out of his larynx connected up to an installation. Vere checked his vital signs. Everything seemed to be normal. She planned to run a few additional tests, then let him go. This man had suffered enough.

The man's eyes shot open. Solid darkness glared at Vere, black-on-black. His face was covered with beads of sweat. He wanted to speak, but his throat produced nothing but small wheezes. Vere's face was cold and blank.

Dr Feyh filled a syringe with transparent liquid. The patient balled his fists to protest. He roared and whined while she sank the needle in his vein and pushed the sucker. The man struggled weakly. His muscles relaxed until he couldn't move once again.

"All in good time", Vere whispered, leaning into him. "I found a better candidate. A Force-sensitive. A Jedi, perhaps. Soon you'll be free. Like I said: all in good time".

* * *

"Point C, version 0.1: substitution. Point C, version 1.1.: overdraft. Point D, version 2.0…"

Apollo's quiet voice traveled in the air. Sora stopped indoors and pressed her head to the wall, smiling a warm, tender smile. She loved to watch him work. It revealed a lot about him: his dreams, his passion, his expectations, the very pulse of Jass Apollo.

"I know you're here", said Jass. Sora moved closer, put her hand on his shoulder. Her fingers were chilly; he rubbed them lightly to warm them up. "What is it, hon?"

"I don't know what to say. You and lieutenant Kerrit seem pretty close".

"Yeah, is that a problem?" He seated her on his lap and buried his face in the curve of her neck. Her skin had a faint smell of soap. "Why didn't you invite me to join you in the shower?"

"Jass, I'm talking business here. You've made friends with an enemy!"

"An enemy?"

"Kerrit! He's part of the Rebel Alliance! I saw him–".

Sora paused. What did she see, in fact? She had no solid proof. No wonder Jass laughed at her. "You spend too much time around our dreaded black knight! You've become as suspicious as he is".

Sora pursed her lips. She'd find proof. She must. As she left him, Jass continued his tests. Day was wasting away, passing into night. Myriads of tiny stars sparkled above. Worn out, Jass put his head on the window-sill. His eye-lids felt heavy. Sora was just jealous. They didn't get to spend much time together these days. Once again, Jass wondered how lucky he was to have her. He adored every single thing about her: the way she tilted her head while listening to something serious, the way she could glide, graceful as a swan, even if dressed in baggy military clothes, the way she frowned and hated it when he called her 'buttercup' for fun.

On the other hand, Sora could be such a bore. Like today, for instance. What could she possibly have against Kerrit? Besides, how could Vader's aide be a traitor unless he wanted to commit suicide in the most painful way? 'She's just jealous', Jass convinced himself, 'cuz I got someone to talk to'.

Still, Val acted rather oddly. Jass wasn't Force-sensitive, but he could tell it when people kept anything back. Val definitely left a load of things unsaid.

Apollo paced up and down the hall, consumed by his dark doubts. He couldn't just drop by Kerrit's premises and ask: 'Hey there, rumour has it you're the Alliance', could he? Or he could…

He heard voices just before he was about to knock. One belonged to Kerrit; another was distorted, clearly from afar. Jass assumed it came from a holophone.

"I was so worried", a woman said. "Just as we learnt of the outcome of that horrifying battle–".

"I appreciate your concern, Commander. That's why we have to proceed".

"Right". Jass could swear the woman's tone bore a touch of embarrassment. "The Smuggler has his cargo. He's going to drop it by the T.S. The client is on his way. Your agent failed".

"I shall arrange another session".

"No! That's too dangerous. You must not let them suspect you. You should disrupt the start of the rocket".

The rocket! Could they mean the _TF_? Jass bared his teeth in a villainous smile. Only through his dead body! Should he report to Moriarti? After a brief moment of indecision he canned the thought. He'd deal with it on his own. After all, the _TF_ was his brain-child.

With a bitter taste of defeat (Sora happened to be damn right!) Apollo continued eavesdropping. He'd learn much more than this and come up with a plan. He wouldn't let _anything_ happen to the _Transcend Force_.


	7. No Mercy

**Title**: "Transcend Force"

**Author**: Shaitanah

**Rating**: PG-13

**Timeline**: Before ANH (Republic episodes – a month after AOTC)

**Summary**: Shortly before Episode IV Darth Vader is sent on a mission to the remote planet of Luki IV. + All hell breaks loose!

**Disclaimer**: _Star Wars _belong to a genius, i.e. George Lucas. I only wish I owned Anakin/Vader! ;)

**A/N**: Sorry for such a long delay. Here's the new chapter finally. Please R&R!

**Chapter 7**

**NO MERCY**

Hitting the counter with his fist, Kenobi demanded another drink. That local slush that smelled like vodka and tasted like liquid fire caused extreme burning in his stomach, but it cheered him up and cleared his mind in a way the Force never could. His sluggishness disappeared as if by magic.

It was still raining heavily outside. Thick smog drove a hot smell of tropics along the streets. It might have triggered Kenobi's curiosity any other day: Morra's climate was temperate, at least around Narrhuma. But he was too tired and considerably drunk to pay any notice.

The doorbell chimed. A tall handsome youth walked in, flicking water droplets off. Obi-Wan lowered his head, not particularly eager to be seen. The youth ordered a drink, but then paused.

"Hang on", he raised his hand and walked up to Obi-Wan. "Hello there".

"Hello, Anakin", Kenobi muttered and gulped hard. He'd sure as hell need additional strength.

"Why are you doing this to me?" asked Anakin in a tentative whisper. His nostrils flared. His breath came out shaky, scorching Kenobi's cheek. 'Are you going to throw a fit, my young apprentice?' Obi-Wan thought wearily. "I said, _why – are – you – doing – this – to – me_? Am I that revolting to you?"

"You are speaking in terms of _you_ again! There is no 'me' or 'you'. There is only _we_ in the Jedi". Kenobi got up, trembling. His Padawan blocked his way, devouring him with a furious look. "Let me through, Anakin. Damn it, Anakin, I've had my fill of you and your hallucinations! The black man? Don't you recognize him? You told me the boy was the nine-year-old Ani Skywalker from Watto's junk-shop! Well, clearly the black man is your _future_!" Something dawned upon the Jedi Master. He flashed Anakin an astounded look and uttered in a hoarse whisper: "I told you you would be the death of me. You'll grow up to be the black man!"

Frozen in the middle of a gasp, outraged, Anakin stared at Obi-Wan. How could he… say _that_? Had the Force given him a revelation? It was not true, it could not be true! Anakin resisted the impulse to grab Obi-Wan and force him to say it was not true.

Kenobi blinked. The so-called revelation sickened him. Dizzy, wasted, he squeezed his temples and turned his back on Anakin. Unimaginable ache shot through his head. Not again! Obi-Wan massaged his forehead, hoping to chase it away.

"Why won't you talk to me?" he heard Anakin's muffled voice. "You never listen, and you never talk. You're just afraid to establish a bond with me like the one you had with Qui-Gon!"

"What if I am?" hissed Obi-Wan. Hell, the bratty kid had exceeded his limit. This was way too much.

Obi-Wan raised his hand and slapped Anakin in the face. The youth recoiled, barely holding his balance. A thin stream of blood leaked from his broken lip. Kenobi awarded him with a grim look and walked to the door. Rage boiled within Anakin. He pushed his Master hard, reaching out for his lightsaber. Kenobi was faster. His boot connected with Anakin's knee. The boy stumbled backwards, then beat the saber out of his Master's hand. Metallic grip clicked as it fell to the floor.

"Hey! No fighting in my tavern!" the bartender shouted.

Enraged, Ob-Wan summoned his weapon and attacked. Skywalker Force-leapt above his head and landed behind his back. The Jedi whirled. Sparkling blue blades clashed. Executing a move of impressive swiftness, Obi-Wan lunged forward and threw Anakin out in the street. It still rained. Sweat beaded up on their foreheads, washed away by powerful rainfall. Anakin parried and parried again, responding to Kenobi's stabs with incredible persistence. Growling, Obi-Wan countered. The interaction of the two energy fields produced heat and bright flashes. It was so hot under that massive flow of water that they began to suffocate. Roaring madly, the Jedi wrestled as each saber sought to override the opponent.

Obi-Wan punched Anakin in the chest with a forceful blow. The younger Jedi tumbled down into the mud. Kenobi stepped down on him. His eyes shimmered with disdain.

"Never talk to me about Qui-Gon", he hissed. "Is that anyway on clear?"

His neck hurt immensely, but Anakin found strength to nod. Kenobi released him and strolled away. No way Anakin was letting him get away with such madness! He sprang forward, fell Kenobi to the ground despite the loud screams of protest and tied his hands with his belt.

"You can't do this to me!" growled Obi-Wan. There was something animalistic in him now. "I'm your Master, you cannot–".

"Be sure I can. And I will do more if that's what it takes to make you comprehend".

Anakin fetched him to the motel and tied him to the bed, trying to ignore the swearing flowing out of his mouth. He sank into the arm-chair and hid his face in his hands. He wanted to seem strong, to show that he was none the worse for it, but his shoulders began to shake so he had to hide in the bathroom to conceal his hysteria. Tears streamed down his face. He washed them off, wiped it clean and peeked out. Obi-Wan continued writhing on the bed. Anakin dragged the holoprojector over to the bathroom and shut the door safely to isolate himself in silence. He took a deep breath and dialed the coordinates of the Temple.

"This is Anakin Skywalker, do you copy? Repeat: this is Anakin Skywalker…"

Nothing. Quiet. Anakin felt lonely. As if everyone had abandoned them. "No", he squeaked through upcoming tears. "Force, please, no, not now! I need this! I need them so much. I need their help".

He tried over and over again. After tormenting moments of waiting nothing came. He was, in the end, alone.

He noticed only then that he was soaked through. He changed into dry clothes and locked Obi-Wan up. Time to act quickly. He wouldn't let this obsession grow into a fratricidal war.

He saw a boy of about ten years old that earned a little extra in the motel and charged him to look after the door. "See that noone comes in and out of that room, do you understand? Noone!" He gave him some local cash and promised to give more later.

On his way Anakin wondered why he couldn't contact the Temple. He saw Obi-Wan talk to the Council. What happened now? Why was _his_ transmission jammed?

The lights around the institution went out a long time ago. A dull light gleamed at the entrance so that Anakin could see the reception bar. He walked straight to the elevators. Unfortunately, the receptionist was sharp as a needle. He faced her with a gracious smile and introduced himself: "Anakin Skywalker to see Dr Feyh".

"Do you have an appointment?" the woman asked. No, he said. Though he was sure she wouldn't mind. The receptionist didn't share his enthusiasm, apparently. "I'm sorry, Dr Feyh is unavailable. Please, come back tomorrow. Her calling hours are scheduled up there". She gestured towards a large timetable on the wall.

But Anakin was never afraid of taking chances. "On the other hand, you may visit her", he said, performing a mind trick on her, "if you say so".

"If you say so", the receptionist echoed in a blank voice. Anakin grinned, satisfied, and entered the elevator. He was going to get some answers right now.

Darkness flooded the narrow corridors. Anakin let the cabin elevate him to the top and knocked on Vere's door. The Force shaded him with a sheer cloak of insignificance. Even if someone passed by, they wouldn't have paid any attention. Just what he needed.

When noone responded, Anakin did a rather un-Jedi thing: he unlocked the door and slid inside. It was dark, Vere must have left her work place a long time ago. Anakin Force-scanned the office and decided to descend downstairs to that lab where she had taken him earlier. He imagined the place in a form of a large flat map. There… there she talked to him and he told her about Padme. There the strange buzzing went off. Anakin moved closer, examined every inch of the high door. There was a control panel and a photoprint lock on its surface. Anakin used the Force to open it. The first thing he saw was a surgical table with elastic straps attached to it and coated blood on its shining surface.

Quiet noise in the distance distracted him. Anakin secreted himself in the corner. Vere rushed in, her fear washed over the young Jedi in choking fumes. She was shaking fiercely.

"Looking for something?"

Vere turned around quickly. Anakin grabbed her by the hand, holding her in place. Eyeing him in terror, she strived to escape.

"Anakin, I have no time! Where is he?"

"Who?"

"The man who was here! On the table! Where is he?"

He caught her other hand to prevent her from slapping him. "No idea. You have to tell me what's going on! What are those experiments of yours?"

Something thundered far away. The room was windowless but Anakin could sense the lightning bolts rip the sky almost physically. Vere froze.

"We are too late…"

_Executive Order # 21: the rebel base on Luki IV ought to be located and wiped out._

_Signed: T. Moriarti_

Noone heard a sound in a vast underground complex that served a shelter for the Luki rebels. Powerful generators were crackling with bursts of electricity enough to supply the whole bunker. Crowds of various exotic specimen dashed about the headquarters' grand halls.

"Commander Salusa, positive on your request for docking", the retransmitter announced.

O'bar's ship had just landed and was passing custom service. The young Twi'lek couldn't help it. Admiral Armin was totally against letting her go to Luki but she escaped Sahra-Mosca with a handful of loyal pilots. Being so far from Val in such circumstances killed her.

She had yet to decide how to get to Val if he were still with the Imperials. Until then O'bar changed into more comfortable clothes from her spacesuit and took a tour around the bunker. All that fuss was captivating. Hundreds of people just kept working. That perfectly logical, mathematical simplicity fascinated her. That was one of the reasons she liked being part of the Alliance – everybody had their own business to do.

The excursion relieved O'bar stress a little. She felt safe here. She ascended on the ground level and walked outside. The weather was warm and sunny. O'bar noticed Marn by the door. Having heard her footsteps, he dropped something and turned in her direction with a full grin. Must have been smoking, O'bar thought.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me", she reassured him. Admiral Armin frowned upon smoking in his detachment.

Marn shook his head. "No, of course, not. I'm covering for you, right? In here".

She smacked him by the shoulder lightly. What a blackmailer! Marn was one of her best buddies though he addressed her roughly as 'Commander Salusa' in public and they never made a display of their relationship. She knew he had certain feeling for her but they remained in the friends zone. Perhaps, if it wasn't for Val…

O'bar sighed. He was still out there, so far away and so close at the same time.

"He'll be with us shortly", said Marn, patting her shoulder softly. "You're very brave. Val's lucky to have you".

O'bar smiled. Her cheeks grew bluish. She still felt uncomfortable when someone complimented her skills, not her classy appearance.

A couple of small lights flickered through the mist. O'bar pricked up her ears. Something rolled through the heated orange sky. Probe lenses zoomed in several meters, scanned the space for lifeforms.

"What the?.." muttered Marn.

"Imperial squadron!" Salusa rushed back to the hatch. "Come on! They'll be here any minute".

The news perturbed the staff but only for a few short moments. Gun towers charged immediately and began blasting away at upcoming aircrafts albeit with no significant effect. Imperials bombarded the surrounding area. Fire left monstrous scorched places on the ground. The sky darkened because of gunfire.

The Rebel control center, shaking under the force of tremendous explosions, still operated amidst destruction. Ravished pipes belched steam, hissing low, the lodging was gradually becoming filled with thick smoke and stench of blood as it splattered in the halls so that the rebels became aware: the enemy had broken through.

The Rebel personnel including General H. Q. was still on duty, directing evacuation ships off the region. Some dived into space, some confused the attackers by keeping closer to the ground.

O'bar charged her twin blasters and fired into the Imperials with no respite. She hated them so much!

A bombshell went off behind her. A few fellow officers were instantly cut down by a giant pencil of rippling rays. A web of deep cracks spread far and wide on the walls. Something hit O'bar from the back and held her down on the floor. She felt too drained to resist. Besides she could hardly breathe because of the smog. Later, when she was free to get up, she had a second to examine her savior who dragged her along the cooling darkness of battle-free space. He was a young man in his mid-twenties, rather good-looking though his long black hair was tousled and covered with gore at the roots. Non-military plain black suit outlined a fine body. A relentless thought shot through O'bar's mind: wasn't that face familiar? Something blazed around his neck. A counter of some kind…

Exhausted, O'bar leaned against the wall. Her posture indicated she could move on no longer. The man came near and she punched him hard in the ribcage. He toppled over to the floor and before he could react, the Twi'lek pointed a gun at him.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Hey! I saved your life", the man protested.

"And took me hostage. You're an Imperial! I know your face. How come I know your face?" It suddenly hit her that his face was in their database concerning 'Luki Labs'. It could not have been… or could it? "You're Jass Apollo, right? You're a bloody spy!"

"How different is that from what your precious Kerrit is doing?" Apollo spat. O'bar hit him in the jaw, then there was a severe warning: never to speak of him again. "Look, I know what you think. We're enemies. But now we are in equal danger. There's a safe underground passage from here, I used it to get to your bunker. We could go together".

O'bar hesitated. He was in danger coming both from his and her allies, whereas she had fat chance getting past Imperial encompassing.

In the meantime, Jass very nearly used his chance to push the gun out of her hand, but a small group of rebel survivors burst in and Marn (she was glad to see him alive) held the captive in place and pointed a blaster at his skull.

"Let me handle this".

"No, wait!" Jass pleaded. "You need me!"

O'bar still fought her doubts. Her hand was trembling. Only the General H. Q. knew where that tunnel was. The entrance was decoded. They could never find it without assistance. She examined the survivors briskly. A stout man in his early sixties, Captain Solabella, a seasoned warrior who despised high ranks and never rose higher than a captain. A lean girl, youngish but confident, Athelandra, with a basket stuffed with supply of provisions in her hands. Never forget about food! And Marn. That was it?

"He's an Imperial tipper-off! He brought them here", said Marn stubbornly. "He's not to be trusted".

"No", O'bar said and made him lower the gun. "We need him. Come on, we gotta get going".

They let the captive walk first. Marn still held his gun steadily pointed in between his shoulderblades. Jass rubbed his bruised ribcage and exhaled deeply, keeping check of the footsteps behind his back. The situation was slightly awkward. He penetrated in the shelter in order to get more info on the Rebel plans concerning the _TF_ but instead he ended up as a prisoner. Why the hell did he have to save that cracked Twi'lek commander?

Jass skewed his eyes upon her cautiously. He'd never seen her, nonetheless, he recognized her easily. Her melodic voice, even erupted by an outburst of radio static… It was the woman Kerrit had been talking to when Apollo overheard him. Val loved her, he could tell. Not really knowing why, Apollo couldn't let their love perish.

"Erase that smirk off your face until I will have done it for you", Marn commented through clenched teeth.

Jass sighed. Everything had just begun…


End file.
